Heart's Flight, from my "Reflections" series, presents a portrayal of emotional turmoil and the complex interplay between love, pain, and freedom.

The piece began as a simple leaping figure. As I was working on it, a series of dark dreams took over the design. Initially, looking at the finished work made me viscerally uncomfortable, but over time, I've embraced it as a part of my story.

The work explores the cycle of painful relationships, symbolized by a woman in the act of throwing a heart. Some thoughts:

• Love as a Lure: The woman's act of throwing a realistic heart is a depiction of "love bombing"—an intense, overwhelming show of affection used to trap someone. The heart, a symbol of love, becomes the lure in a trap.

• Prisoners of Love: The lovebirds, completely enamored with each other, are oblivious to the barbed wire cage – blind to the pain of a toxic bond when they are in its thrall.

• Inner Turmoil: Faces of pain and anger are subtly visible in the woman's torso, suggesting that past trauma provides a foundation for the love bond. A scorpion, meticulously crafted with pinchers on each leg, foreshadows a capacity for harm she carries within.

• A Shared Experience: The Swarovski crystal pupils shared by the woman and the birds suggest a mirrored experience. They are all caught in the same cycle, willing participants in the process

Ultimately, Heart's Flight is a commentary on the emotional cost of misunderstood love and the journey to break free from cycles of pain.

67”h x 42”w x 5”d: hard drive platter, motherboard, barbed wire, hard drive actuator wire, platter spacer rings, swarovski crystals